Approval for Limerick's tallest building on pivotal Opera Square site
Approval by the cabinet this week for the construction of what would be Limerick's tallest building has been described as a pivotal moment for the Opera Square project and the wider Limerick region.
The 14-storey landmark building will provide 100,000 sq ft of office space, with work to commence this year.
The works to be delivered by Limerick Twenty Thirty (LTT) will also include redevelopment of the Granary building and significant enhancement of the Bank Place public realm. LTT is a wholly owned Limerick City and County subsidiary.
The works will also include redevelopment of the Granary building and significant enhancement of the Bank Place public realm.
Chair of LTT James Collins said: "A huge amount of work has already been advanced at Opera Square, including our One Opera Square building which is nearing completion and going to be another key economic driver of Limerick. On top of that, the decision today on the OPW building gives not just the wider project but the Limerick region a huge boost,' he said.
'The construction phase alone will deliver a major economic stimulus for the region, with 300 jobs in construction and a massive benefit to local suppliers. On its completion, we will see up to 950 public servants work daily in the building and 1,500 people on a hybrid working model."
"This is a key to unlocking the enormous potential of Limerick city centre and a major boost for the regeneration of the city centre," he said.
Work is nearing completion on the separate One Opera Square building on the site. Once completed, it will provide 106,000 sq ft of new office space with a capacity for 1,000 workers, to become an employment hub for 1,000 people.
Work on the wider 3.7-acre Opera Square commercial development — one of the largest city centre build projects undertaken in Ireland outside of Dublin — commenced three years ago and is targeted for completion in 2027.
The programme so far has involved the largest demolition and enabling works undertaken in Limerick, including navigating delicate works around retaining 16 of 18 Georgian buildings as well as archaeological features, including old walls, caverns and vaults.
'This is a massive moment for Limerick Twenty Thirty and the Opera Square project," Enda Power, LTT CEO said, referring to the cabinet approval.
"We're well underway on other works on the site but this 14-storey landmark building will accelerate momentum. We have already identified a preferred contractor for the project and expect to get work underway in late summer, with a two-year build phase. The building will also be 'best-in-class' in terms of sustainability, which is very much in keeping with Limerick's ambition to be one of Europe's most sustainable cities of the future,' he said.
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